Bengaluru: Former Karnataka Chief Minister and senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader BS Yediyurappa expressed optimism about his party’s performance in the ongoing Lok Sabha election, stating that the BJP is poised to win a minimum of 25 of 28 Lok Sabha seats in the state.
Addressing reporters, Yediyurappa remarked, “We are going to win a minimum of 25 Lok Sabha seats. The atmosphere is very good… Raghavendra will win with a margin of more than 2.5 lakh votes. There is no doubt about it.”
Yediyurappa’s statement coincided with his visit to a polling booth in Shivamogga, where he, along with his sons – Karnataka President Vijayendra Yediyurappa and party candidate BY Raghavendra — cast their votes. The Shivamogga constituency is witnessing a fierce contest between Raghavendra, Congress party’s Geetha Shivarajkumar, and Independent candidate KS Eshwarappa.
Echoing his father’s sentiments, Vijayendra emphasised the unity among voters in supporting Prime Minister Modi’s leadership. Despite the Congress government in Karnataka, Vijayendra expressed confidence in BJP’s victory.
Vijayendra also addressed the ‘obscene videos’ case involving JDS MP Prajwal Revanna, condemning the act and accusing the Congress party of politicising the issue. He criticised Congress for not preventing Prajwal from leaving the country, suggesting their intention to exploit the situation for political gain.
Meanwhile, a BJP candidate from Kalaburagi, Umesh Yadav, expressed optimism about the party’s success, citing Tuesday as his lucky day and predicting a historic win for BJP in the region.
In a similar vein, BJP candidate B Sriramulu, contesting for the Ballari Lok Sabha seat, urged the electorate to exercise their voting rights, stressing the significance of democratic participation in the electoral process. Sriramulu also endorsed Modi for a third term as Prime Minister.
As the second phase of polling for the Lok Sabha elections in Karnataka unfolds, the political landscape in the northern districts witnesses a fierce contest between the BJP and the ruling Congress in the state. Notably, the Janata Dal (Secular) is not contesting in these seats, favouring its alliance partner, the BJP.
The voting process, spanning from 7 am to 6 pm, involves over 2.59 crore eligible voters across 28,269 polling places. The constituencies up for polls are Chikkodi, Belagavi, Bagalkot, Vijayapura, Kalaburagi, Raichur, Bidar, Koppal, Ballari, Haveri, Dharwad, Uttara Kannada, Davangere, and Shivamogga.
Key contenders from the BJP include former chief ministers Jagadish Shettar and Basavaraj Bommai, as well as union ministers Pralhad Joshi and Bhagwanth Khuba. On the Congress front, notable candidates include AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge’s son-in-law Radhakrishna Doddamani and Geetha Shivrajkumar.
The outcome of these elections will likely shape the political landscape of Karnataka and contribute significantly to the national political narrative. Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Kumar Meena has used extensive deployment of polling officials and security personnel to ensure a smooth polling process.
